DAPNET Forums Archive › Forums › Equipment Category › Equipment › Going D ring
- This topic has 16 replies, 11 voices, and was last updated 14 years, 1 month ago by
mitchmaine.
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- October 20, 2010 at 12:02 am #42051
Donn Hewes
KeymasterI know I held out for a long time, and was hard to convince, but I have finally decided to switch to a “D” ring harness. Even though I saw Les present the harness in person a couple years ago it was the video that finally convinced me. The back saddle absorbing all the tongue vibrations and movements meant more to me than the tongue weight.
I am hoping to buy market straps, front side straps, rear side straps, and clips to convert my own tugs. I was going to price this from Meader’s unless some one recommends other wise. If I use nylon, all the rest of the harness will still be leather – seems like a good compromise. Will still need some jockey yokes.
Some one already suggested just doing two and then waiting to do the rest until I was sure I got it right. I think I will buy enough parts to do all the harness and just make the changes two at a time. I don’t want to work in the summer with two different harnesses.
October 20, 2010 at 12:18 am #62710Mark Cowdrey
ParticipantDonn,
Good for your horses & mules.
You might try:
Peach Lane Harness Abner S. Esh 88 Peach Lane Ronks, PA 17572 717-687-8843
Leave a message, they’ll get right back to you. I have been very happy with service, quality &, particularly, prices.Mark
October 20, 2010 at 12:35 am #62712john plowden
ParticipantDonn – whoever you get the harness from make sure the front tug is the correct length for your horses –
JohnOctober 20, 2010 at 1:46 am #62723mitchmaine
Participant@john plowden 21466 wrote:
Donn – whoever you get the harness from make sure the front tug is the correct length for your horses –
Johnright, john. i was talking with les, and he called it ” blousing out ” when the front sidebacker took the strain and the tug falls loose.
he also said new d ring came with 27″ front tugs which were way too long. 20″ for haflingers, 22″ – 24″ for larger horses was what he recommended. pretty sure that was what he said. nice man.mitch
October 20, 2010 at 3:56 am #62711J-L
ParticipantIt sure looks and sounds like the way to go. I’ve been looking at it pretty hard my self. My problem is that I have so much box brichen harness available to me for nothing (or next to it) from people around here that don’t use it anymore.
Looking at it made me think of how good it would be on your horses when mowing hay.
Hope it works well and do keep us posted on how you are converting your harness (hint; maybe take some pictures) and give us your usual good report.October 20, 2010 at 9:56 am #62713Does’ Leap
ParticipantDonn:
Zimmerman’s Harness is worth a try: (717)354-5667.
George
October 20, 2010 at 12:09 pm #62714KeymasterJohn, Thanks for the advice on tug length. I don’t plan to buy new tugs. I plan to cut my tugs (five horses and mules in harness) and fit metal clips to adapt them. When I get ready to cut I will be really careful to find out where the “D” ring belongs. I will keep you all posted.
October 20, 2010 at 12:31 pm #62720Ed Thayer
ParticipantDon, I bought Les Bardens Video from Tim Hupp at Berry brook Ox supply a couple of years ago. It was very valuable to review from time to time when setting up my first harness. I would be glad to throw it in the mail if you would like to see it again.
I echo the front trace length. Mine do as Mitch suggested, blousing out, when slack develops on the side of the harness. I need to get mine shortened. I just have not taken them off to do it yet.
Good luck, I think you will be happy with the results.
Ed
October 20, 2010 at 12:36 pm #62722Andy Carson
ModeratorYes, please do keep us posted. I found myself playing with the idea of adapting my harness or buying new myself, especially after seeing John P’s single horse logging arch. Being able to set up shafts like he did seems so simple, so effective, and is very attractive to me from a design point of view. When I saw a D ring harness in pictures only, I was a little worried about how shoulders would be free to move, but having seen them in action at Tunbridge I can see this is not a weakness at all. It’s suprizing they are not more popular in general. You definately don’t see alot of them in this area of the country at least…
October 20, 2010 at 12:36 pm #62708Carl Russell
ModeratorDonn, it would be very helpful to folks if you can document your process of modifying one harness into the other.
Carl
October 20, 2010 at 12:47 pm #62709ModeratorCountymouse;21479 wrote:…. It’s suprizing they are not more popular in general. You definately don’t see alot of them in this area of the country at least…That is the truth!!! One of the reasons they are not more popular is that the D-ring is usually placed in the wrong place, taking away the effectiveness of the Jack Saddle, and in essence providing little or no benefit over any alternative.
The other reason is that few people think of their harness as a “system”. Mostly it is just seen as a way to hook a horse to something. The foundation of the D-ring is to provide functionality to address changes in draft angle, holding pole/tongue weight, accurate pole/tongue height, maintaining collar placement, and eliminating slack in the hitch when changing from pulling to holding back.
Carl
October 20, 2010 at 2:33 pm #62715KeymasterJust ordered some parts from Peach Lane, but I didn’t ask him the price! We will have to wait three weeks until I go and pick them up to find out what I spent. I didn’t buy Market straps as I looked at my harness and decided I could repair the market straps and back saddles to take the added use. I didn’t get the little strap? that holds the front side strap up as I figure I will make those out of the quarter straps I take off. He had some used clips for half price, and I ordered some jockey yokes, but I will look at the different styles when I am there (steel or wood). I will take some pictures. I should start with the old harness on the animal and finish with the new harness on the animal.
October 20, 2010 at 4:01 pm #62721Tim Harrigan
Participant@Donn Hewes 21483 wrote:
… I will take some pictures. I should start with the old harness on the animal and finish with the new harness on the animal.
That will be good, and if you can both with the animals under some load that would be great.
October 20, 2010 at 5:24 pm #62717grey
ParticipantThis is very relevant to my interests. I will be watching this thread. I too would like to go D-ring but I have so much belly-backer harness and equipment that would require conversion, I have been dragging my feet on it.
October 20, 2010 at 7:29 pm #62716KeymasterGrey – that has been one of the things holding me back until now. Where in Washington are you located by the way? I have a good old friend down in Oly. that loves to talk about the working horses.
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